1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for generating photons for photo-dynamic therapy inside an animal including an human.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for generating photons for photo-dynamic therapy inside an animal including an human, where the method includes the step of placing nano-particles in a tissue site, where the nano-particles are capable of converting a portion of energized electrons created by irradiating the tissue site to photons within the tissue site, extending the use of photo-dynamic therapy (PDT) to deep tissues and organs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radiation treatments for tumors, especially cancerous tumors, can have long term negative impacts on a patient, due to cell damage in non-tumor regions arising from the high levels of radiation used, including greatly reducing the patient's quality of life. While, using a lower-than-normal radiation dose for the treatment lessens the effectiveness of the treatment.
Photo-dynamic therapy (PDT) is a light-based tumor treatment which is currently used in medical practice. However, the light used in traditional PDT techniques is generated external to the body and brought to the tumor region which is inside the body by means of light pipes or optical fibers, limiting such procedures to certain areas of the body (e.g., skin, esophagus, lung, bladder).
Although PDT techniques are available, their limitations both in light focusing and control and light placement make them less robust than other techniques. Thus, there is a need in the art for improved PDT techniques that lessen adverse treatment impacts on the patient, that allow reduced radiation treatments and that expand the reach of the techniques to body regions that are inaccessible by normal photo-dynamic procedures.